Таинственный сад
IV. Martha
Tha’ltbelonlierbeforetha’sdone,”hesaid.
Hebegantodigagain,drivinghisspadedeepintotherichblackgardensoilwhiletherobinhoppedaboutverybusilyemployed.
“Whatisyourname?”Maryinquired.
Hestooduptoanswerher.
“BenWeatherstaff,”heanswered,andthenheaddedwithasurlychuckle,“I’mlonelymysel’exceptwhenhe’swithme,”andhejerkedhisthumbtowardtherobin.“He’sth’onlyfriendI’vegot.”
“Ihavenofriendsatall,”saidMary.“Ineverhad.MyAyahdidn’tlikemeandIneverplayedwithanyone.”
ItisaYorkshirehabittosaywhatyouthinkwithbluntfrankness,andoldBenWeatherstaffwasaYorkshiremoorman.
“Tha’an’meareagoodbitalike,”hesaid.“Wewaswoveoutofth’samecloth.We’reneitherofusgoodlookin’an’we’rebothofusassouraswelook.We’vegotthesamenastytempers,bothofus,I’llwarrant.”
Thiswasplainspeaking,andMaryLennoxhadneverheardthetruthaboutherselfinherlife.Nativeservantsalwayssalaamedandsubmittedtoyou,whateveryoudid.Shehadneverthoughtmuchaboutherlooks,butshewonderedifshewasasunattractiveasBenWeatherstaffandshealsowonderedifshelookedassourashehadlookedbeforetherobincame.Sheactuallybegantowonderalsoifshewas“nastytempered.”Shefeltuncomfortable.
Suddenlyaclearripplinglittlesoundbrokeoutnearherandsheturnedround.Shewasstandingafewfeetfromayoungapple-treeandtherobinhadflownontooneofitsbranchesandhadburstoutintoascrapofasong.
